Gimbal bearing remover

ABSTRACT

A tool primarily designed for the quick and easy removal the gimbal bearing found in Mercruiser styled Stern Drives. The tool consists of a fixed hook with a sliding mechanism that automatically locks the bearing onto the hook, a flange that bridges the opening of the bell housing, a threaded rod that is attached to the end of the hook body and passes through the center of the flange, a thrust bearing, a long threaded nut that provides the moving force behind the tool as well as a handle for inserting the tool, and a torque arm that keeps the tool from rotating while the nut is being tightened.

CROSS REFERENCE

[0001] Provisional application # 60/179,040 filed Feb. 1, 2000.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

[0002] Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDAGE

[0003] Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] This invention pertains to the removal of gimbal bearings used in marine propulsion systems known as stern drives.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0005] A gimbal bearing is located in a housing known as a transom bracket, and is press fit into said bracket. The bearing is shrouded by another housing known as a bell housing which is attached to the transom bracket with pins, hoses and cables. The result is a bearing that is difficult to access through the bell housing, and time consuming to access by removing the bell housing. Existing methods rely largely on universal pullers with multiple fingers or jaws that expand behind the bearing and are attached to a slide hammer or a screw and plate arrangement. These methods require a time consuming and difficult set up of a tool within the restrictive and often greasy confines of the bell housing. The fingers frequently cannot support the load needed to remove the bearing and flex and come out of the bearing before it can be removed, requiring a repeat set up. Slide hammers sometimes do not have the force needed to jar the bearing loose. Plate and screws methods are generally more difficult to set up than the slide hammer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention consists of a fixed hook that is pushed through the center of the bearing to be removed. Once the hook has passed through the bearing, the hook automatically locates itself behind the bearing, propelled by forces generated by a spring loaded slide locking mechanism. Once the bearing is properly located, the locking mechanism itself automatically passes through the center of the bearing, effectively taking up all of the space within the inside diameter of the bearing. This makes it impossible for the hook to escape from behind the bearing until the lock is manually released.

[0007] A threaded rod is attached to the opposite end of the hook body. An offset arm is also located on the same end of the hook body.

[0008] A flange is used to bridge across the opening of the bell housing. This flange provides the platform necessary for the removing force to be transmitted to the bearing. The flange is specifically shaped to fit over the studs on the bell housing.

[0009] The threaded rod is passed through the center of the flange. The offset arm referred to as the torque arm passes through a hole offset to one side of the flange. The torque arm prohibits the hook body from rotating.

[0010] A thrust bearing is mounted on the nut side of the flange. An abnormally elongated nut is threaded onto the threaded rod. The nut is elongated for three purposes; first it provides the extra threaded surface area needed to support the required loads. Second, it provides a handle for controlling the tool. Third, it absorbs the threaded rod as the nut is tightened as to prevent the threaded rod from interfering with the tool used to tighten it.

[0011] As the nut is tightened, the distance between the hook body and the flange is reduced, this removes the bearing from its housing.

[0012] A handle on the slide locking mechanism is provided to manually release the lock from the center of the bearing, allowing the bearing to pass back over the hook and off the tool.

[0013] The present invention solves the problems of prior art by providing a completely automatic setup within the bell housing, as well as eliminating flexing problems by utilizing the inside diameter of the bearing to support the hook. The present invention utilizes the benefits of a screw and plate extraction system over a slide hammer without any of the set up problems associated with existing plate and screw type pullers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 depicts individual parts and features of the GIMBAL BEARING REMOVER.

[0015]FIG. 3 depicts a gimbal bearing and its engagement surfaces.

[0016]FIG. 2 depicts the spring location within the tool body.

[0017]FIG. 4 depicts the tool body with the locking mechanism installed.

[0018]FIG. 5 depicts the tool body with the locking mechanism in the unlocked position.

[0019]FIG. 6 depicts the tool body entering a gimbal bearing.

[0020]FIG. 7 depicts the tool body passing through a gimbal bearing.

[0021]FIG. 8 depicts the final engagement position of the tool body and the locking mechanism sliding into its lock position.

[0022]FIG. 9 depicts the complete tool with removal forces being applied to a gimbal bearing.

[0023]FIG. 10 depicts the complete tool position at the end of the removal process.

[0024]FIG. 11 depicts a complete gimbal bearing remover in standard configuration.

[0025]FIG. 12 depicts a gimbal bearing remover in an alternate slide hammer configuration.

[0026]FIG. 13, official gazette view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODYMENT

[0027] A tool for removing gimbal bearings or similar objects, the tool being constructed primarily of steel, the tool body 1 being an elongated hook shape. The slide locking mechanism 2 fits over the tool body 1. A spring 3 fits in the slot 4 within tool body 1. A bolt 5 passes through the hole in the slide locking mechanism 2 and the slot 4 within tool body 1 and is retained by nut 6. The above assemblys shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The locking mechanism can be forced rearward FIG. 5 with spring pressure returning it to the forward position FIG. 4, when the force is removed. A threaded member 8 and torque arm 9 are connected to the end of the tool body 1 and pass through the holes 11 and 12 respectively, within flange member 10. A thrust bearing 13 fits over the threaded member 8. The elongated nut 14 threads onto the threaded member 8 to complete the entire assembly as seen in FIG. 11.

[0028] The tool is operated by pushing the tool into the gimbal bearing 20 as seen in FIG. 6. The beveled edge 19 on the tool body 1 guides the tool into the bearing 20. The beveled edge 18 on the locking mechanism 2 is stopped by the side of the inner race 22 of the bearing 20. The tool body continues through the bearing 20 as seen in FIG. 7. Once the hook edge 16 clears the bearing edge 22 on the far side of the bearing 20, the spring pressure transmitted from edge 18 to edge 22 forces the tool body 1 detent area 15 to contact the inside diameter 21 of bearing 20. Simultaneously, spring pressure forces the slide lock 2 into bearing 20.

[0029] Edge 17 of the slide lock 2 and edge 15 of tool body 1 both engage the inside diameter 21 of bearing 20 with edge 16 engaging edge 22 of the far side of bearing 20, retaining bearing 20 onto the tool as seen in FIG. 8.

[0030] The tool in standard configuration FIG. 11 has a flange 10 bridging the opening of the bell housing. As the nut 14 is tightened the distance between the flange 10 and the bearing 20 is reduced removing the bearing 20 from its housing as seen in FIG. 9 and 10. (housing not shown). The torque arm 9 keeps the tool from rotating during the tightening operation.

[0031] A handle 7 is provided to remove the slide lock 2 from the center of bearing 20 allowing the bearing 20 to be removed from the tool.

[0032]FIG. 12 depicts an alternate slide hammer configuration. 

I claim:
 1. A device for removing bearings or similar objects comprising, an elongated body member, said body member being indented on one side, said indentation being configured to engage the object to be removed, an elongated thread member, said thread member protruding from the end of said body member, a sleeve member, said sleeve member being longtidunally slidable along said body member, said sleeve member being configured to engage the inside diameter of said object, said sleeve member and body member indentation area combined having a cross sectional thickness closely equal to but less than the inside diameter of said object and combined areas outside of said indentation having a cross sectional thickness greater than the inside diameter of said object, to where said body member must first pass through said object and engage said object within said indentation to when said sleeve member is inserted, said object becomes securely retained within said indentation, a flange member, said flange member being configured to abut the outer surface surrounding the opening to which said object is to be removed, said flange member having centrally located bore to which said threaded member passes there through, a nut member, said nut member being threadingly engaged to said threaded member, said nut when tightened transmits movable force to said body member.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said body member contains a spring, to which spring pressure is transmitted to said sleeve member, said spring pressure manipulating the position of said sleeve member during insertion and retension operations.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said body member has a protruding arm, said arm being located on the same end as said threaded member, said arm being parallel and offset to said threaded member, said flange being modified to accept said arm.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said nut member is elongated sufficiently to absorb said threaded member and provide a handle for said device.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said sleeve member has a handle.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said sleeve member has a retension member, said retension member holding sleeve member to body member without hindering the required slidable movement.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein said body member has a beveled edge, said bevel being configured to aid in insertion of said body member through the object being removed.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein said sleeve member has a beveled edge, said bevel being configured to aid in insertion of said sleeve member through the object being removed.
 9. The device of claim 1 wherein said threaded member, said flange member, and said nut member being replaced by a standard slide hammer assembly. 